Why You Might Want to Visit Italy in the Off-Season

Everyone wants to visit Italy in the summer, and who can really blame them?

The weather is stunning, the beaches irresistible, and let’s not forget gelato! That said, high tourism season is no picnic: hotels rates skyrocket, and you’re waiting in line for everything– museums, historical sites and, well, gelato.

That’s why I love visiting Italy in the off-season. Trade in your bikini and sundress for fabulous wool coats and leather driving gloves. Breeze through tourist attractions, tuck into big bowls of bolognese (c’mon, who wants to head to the beach after eating Italian food for a week anyway?), and eat gelato. It tastes just as good in the winter!

Another bonus? Fall and winter shopping. In Milan, Italy’s fashion capital, every neighborhood has its own designer discount stores. I’m talking the big names, like Armani and Dolce & Gabbana, offered at deep discounts. I can’t afford these labels normally, but at 50, 60 or 70 percent off? Maybe! Every fall, these discount stores receive tons of new inventory– just one more reason to visit Italy when the temperatures dip.

Watch the video to see what outlet shopping looks like in Milan (and if I scored big!):